


my universe will never be the same

by brodinsons (aeon_entwined)



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, also just
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-07
Updated: 2014-05-07
Packaged: 2018-01-23 21:30:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1580219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aeon_entwined/pseuds/brodinsons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some sorta domestic iron husbands for my girl because she deserves nice things and because these guys do too.</p><p>Title comes from "Glad You Came" by The Wanted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	my universe will never be the same

**Author's Note:**

  * For [twicefivemiles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/twicefivemiles/gifts).



James stands atop Stark Tower, staring out over the landing platform and off the sheer drop straight down to the streets of Manhattan.

He's taken to using the platform, of late. Now that S.H.I.E.L.D. has been disbanded and Tony not-so-subtly dropped the hint that they could maybe use some backup from time to time when he's not otherwise being deployed to god knows where at the President's behest. "From time to time" has turned into weekly visits that usually somehow involve getting dragged into yet another near-death experience at some maniac's hands.

This week, it's relatively quiet. And he intends to take every possible advantage of the lull. He'd been thinking about dragging Tony out to one of the pizzerias a few blocks north that he has fallen head over heels for since spending a lot more time in the big apple. 

But, Tony seems intent on keeping himself sealed up in one of his many R&D labs, and getting him out is as close to a lost cause as anything. Sometimes, he wonders how exactly he manages to put up with having one of the smartest men in the world as his significant other. Then, he just laughs. Because _of course_ this was how it was supposed to happen. Anyways, James enjoys it up here. So it's not all bad. It's clear, crisp, almost like flying if he can forget his feet are still planted on solid ground.

He thinks about the call he made to Pepper just before arriving today. She's busy overseas handling yet more publicity and expanding Stark Industries contracts, but she checks on home base pretty frequently. He'd asked if she thought Tony was acting any weirder than usual, and her answer had been no. Still, he's not quite convinced. 

So, when the glass doors leading to the penthouse suite slide open and he can hear the quiet slaps of Tony's bare feet on the concrete, he's not as surprised as he might have been.

James glances over his shoulder, and finds Tony ambling his way over, trying to look casual in a pair of sweatpants and one of his undersuit shirts that has definitely seen better days. Both hands are shoved in the oversize pockets of the sweatpants, and James quickly amends "trying to look casual" to "failing miserably".

"I don't think I gave you clearance to be out here," Tony sniffs as he approaches, eyeing the precipice with just a touch of apprehension.

James snorts, then turns his attention back to the sprawling city below them. "Wasn't aware I needed clearance to be on the landing platform you _begged_ me to use."

Tony sniffs again. "Well, safety protocols, waivers, all that good stuff. Pepper would kill me if I let you wander off and get yourself killed on my watch."

James is laughing at this point, and he crosses his arms a little tighter across his chest, trying to suppress a few of the snickers. "You weren't even _up here_ , asshole. Would you quit that?"

"Quit what?"

"That," James gestures vaguely at Tony's person. "The twitchy, trying to make small talk like a boring normal person thing."

Tony makes a distinctly put out sound just beside his shoulder and James finally turns around to face him. He's looking less confident than before (if that could've been called confident) and sort of fidgeting. His hands are still in his pockets, and James can tell he's holding something in his right fist. So, there is a reason he's acting all weird.

"So I've asked you to marry me approximately twelve times, eleven of which I don't really remember since I was falling down drunk and- no, that's a lie. I remember all of them because I might've been drunk a few times but I was scared shitless every single time," Tony sighs, and James is abruptly aware that there's a veneer of seriousness beneath the casual attempts at cracking jokes. "I know you probably expect me to keep doing it in front of cameras and a hundred people so you can pat my shoulder and take me back to the car and tell me to sleep it off. But I've been sober for literal years now, Rhodey. So I don't want to do that. I really don't."

James raises his eyebrows, expression sobering as he realizes that Tony isn't trying to pull the wool over his eyes or distract him with fancy words while his hands construct yet another wall to hide behind.

Tony inhales slowly, then lets out an explosive exhale. "Would you want to? I mean, for real? Officially?"

"Might do," James says after almost half a minute of contemplative silence. It's not the question itself that's thrown him, but the sincerity. "Depends. Are you asking me?"

Tony's eyes brighten a little and he rocks back and forth on his bare feet. "Yeah. Yeah, I am."

James' lips pull into a genuine smile, and he nods once. "Okay."

Bouncing a little more, Tony manages to extricate his right hand from his sweatpants pocket and he tries to flick a small shiny object with his thumb. He shortchanges the attempt a little, and James stumbles forward just in time to catch it before it lands on the concrete.

He turns it over on his palm, examining the plain silver band inlaid with two darker lines of silver running along both edges. Then, he realizes there's an inscription on in the inner side of the band. He squints a bit.

_keep the skies clear_

James lifts his gaze to Tony, the corner of his lips twitching up. "Never took you for a sentimental idiot."

"Never claimed not to be," Tony shrugs, taking a few steps closer. "'sides, I'm always an idiot where you're concerned."

James opens both his arms for Tony to make his way between, then closes them around those familiar shoulders. He rests his temple against Tony's, eyes closing as he takes the band in his right hand and slips it onto his left ring finger.

"Well, I guess you could say that's a trait we share."


End file.
